9000
121 posts
Dec 09, 2012
8:18 PM
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Comments about the Session Steel vs. Other harps at a similar price point?
Jay
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Music speaks where words fail.
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Willspear
237 posts
Dec 09, 2012
9:09 PM
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I use session steels mostly. 1847 noble covers though because I like vents and open backs.
Stock they are great harps. Underrated IMHO
Play as well as anything. I blew out a reed in a harmonica and they replaced the reed no questions asked. It was likely my fault as in hindsight I was playing to hard in those days.
It is nice that they can be run under warm tap water to help rid them of crud easily. A wooden comb doesn't get on with that treatment.
Greg jones has done well by me as my seydel source. He builds harps out of parts for me so I can get Franken harps. He has a business called 16:23 harmonicas.
I think the one thing that really is tough for some people is seydel harps being a little longer and the mouth piece side can be a little bit more blunted and tall meaning it isn't as tapered as some models of some brands. I found these issues minor and find the seydel harps to be quite comfortable.
Recessed plates are a point of contention. The session steel is recessed while the 1847 is not.
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nacoran
6263 posts
Dec 09, 2012
9:58 PM
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I love long cover harps. I've got a Blues Favorite LLF and a TurboSlide Session Steel. Their both odd harps to comment on the general play of Seydels though, with one being so low and the other having extra parts shoved under the cover. I like them both, and I don't have any problem switching hole sizes. I go from L.O.'s to my Hohner Puck without much problem. I haven't had the Sessions Steel long enough to comment on reed longevity. Both are really comfortable to play and I like the (unusual) sounds both of them give me.
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Nate
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boris_plotnikov
810 posts
Dec 09, 2012
11:41 PM
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Session steel is a cheaper model with a stainless steel reeds. For a long time I preferred only 1847 model because of solid comb, more airtightnes, more prominent attack, easier and more controllable overblow/overdraw but recently I decided to make myself spare harps in rare keys (LF#, LE, Db) and I decided to save some money and to get Session steels for spares. And I was wondered that in some aspects I like session steels tone even more than 1847, more mild, less agressive, I like not to feel metal reedplates on my lips. So not for tunes where I need a lot of overblow/overdraw (for such tunes I'll prefer 1847 anyway), but for some tunes Session Steel is really good! I prefer to put on them 1847 coverplates (classic or noble).
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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Rubes
616 posts
Dec 10, 2012
12:32 AM
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I've just picked up a SS in lo-F# (finally filling the twelfth hole) and tricked it out with a Hetrick orange corian comb. Plays and feels great! OBs on 6, nice darkish tone...might open up the covers methinks, and eventually gap/emboss. So far I like!
PS...also....CLEANLY ODs on 8!....nice
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One of Rubes's bands, DadsinSpace-MySpace
Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
Last Edited by on Dec 10, 2012 12:41 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1435 posts
Dec 10, 2012
3:14 AM
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You can find some sessions at the link below. Not a full custom, of course, there is a specific set of things each goes through - embossing, gapping, and reedplate flattening for airtightness.
Watching reedplate building at the HH factory helped me streamline the process so I could do an embossed and gapped Session Steel for under $80.
You can get them with regular covers, brass covers, 1847 covers, 1847 frosted covers, etc.
Optimized Sessions
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
 
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HarpNinja
2961 posts
Dec 10, 2012
6:23 AM
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Dave's harps are amazing, and I just paid him for a custom Seydel myself. There are only a couple people on the planet I'd pay to do a harp for me. I can think of three.
On a side note, I just finished a Session Steel in the key of A. The blow plate was flat sanded and the reeds reattached with screws. The covers are from an 1847. I was able to compare it directly with a stock SS in A, a stock 1847 in A, and an overbend custom 1847 in A.
I tell you what, I generally don't like recessed combs, but this harp totally smokes. I have a Crossover in A with conical covers and a sweet brown bamboo comb. It was my favorite harp. I use that harp to compare to everything. I'll be damned if for the first time it lost head to head with another harp.
The SS I customized played better, played faster, and sounded better. It had a great high end that was very clear, but a much fuller sound than the XO.
The big difference between Hohner and Seydel steel, to me, is that the Hohner brass is MUCH easier to work on. I also feel like OOTB, Hohner's are easier to play and respond much better to general gapping. I really have to fight the steel harps to get them going. They chew up tools and take more energy to work on.
The end result, though, is very comparable to a custom Hohner. I still like OOTB Hohner's, but OOTB Seydels do nothing for me compared to the customs.
***To the OP, I'd go Hohner if we're talking strictly OOTB. The Crossover is my favorite.
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Custom Harmonicas
Last Edited by on Dec 10, 2012 6:23 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1437 posts
Dec 10, 2012
8:37 AM
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Thank you Mike for the kind words. The ones I built for Matt are embossed, some modification to the reed profiles, gapped, spot tuned and the draw plates are flat sanded and attached with eight reedplate screws. I send them to Matt some with black, some with orange combs and without coverplates, then he adds whatever coverplate the customer wants.
It's a very specific process and it has to be to keep the cost at $20 over retail - and if Brad hadn't shown me how to carry over processes to do it in a factory situation, there's no way I'd be able to do that.
I've worked with steel reeds since they first came out, they can be a beast, but eventually, you get used to them. A couple of nice things about working with them is they are pretty forgiving, if you make a mistake you can usually correct it without affecting play because the reeds are pretty resiliant. The processes you use with brass reeds, when you carry them over to steel, it's hard to do, but eventually you adapt new ways to do steel and it gets easier.
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Last Edited by on Dec 10, 2012 8:39 AM
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boris_plotnikov
811 posts
Dec 10, 2012
10:49 AM
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For today I emboss reedplates with stainless steel reeds tripple better than brass, as steel reeds remove overembossed parts just by plinking and blowing through them.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1438 posts
Dec 10, 2012
2:12 PM
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That's absolutely right, Boris, about the steel reeds slapping away burrs. We wouldn't be able to sell them at $80, nor would I be able to emboss them as aggressively as I do, if the reeds weren't so good at slapping away the burrs. It really saves time.
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Last Edited by on Dec 10, 2012 2:12 PM
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bonedog569
739 posts
Dec 10, 2012
5:45 PM
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I tried one, - it didn't do it for me. I prefer the 1847. For a recessed comb, the Suzuki Hammond or cheaper bluesmaster. Besides set up, It's all personal 'fit'.
Like your new "Walk softly ..." David
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1439 posts
Dec 11, 2012
2:21 AM
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Bonedog, you're talking about the stock Session you tried, correct?
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
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9000
122 posts
Dec 11, 2012
4:16 AM
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Looking forward to one of David's Optimized Session Steels which I ordered just prior to posting my question the other night. I have a stock Session Steel in D. I really like the tone for some of the amplified stuff I do. I haven't seen much discussion of this harp since the initial splash when it came out and most of that seemed to be about the orange combs.
Thanks for all the thoughtful comments.
All the best,
Jay
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Music speaks where words fail.
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HarpNinja
2969 posts
Dec 11, 2012
11:50 AM
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Dave's deal through Hetrick is an EXCELLENT option, and IMO, the best ready-to-go harp out there...
1) Improved stock comb with gasket to eliminate air leaks
2) Flattened reedplates to eliminate common leak/performance issues
3) Reedwork/custom gapping to make for easier bending
4) Optimized to make overblows (4,5,6 blow) easier on standard keys and to elminate reed squeal noises
5) Reedslot embossing on all 20 slots
6) Minor factory pitch correction to fix beating octaves
7) Two extra reedplate screws added for more airtight play
8) Choice of Seydel Brass or Stainless Cover plates (Session or 1847)
9) Brand new optimized session reedplates
10) Choice of orange or black optimized comb
11) Brass coverplates will have a top brass screw to match the coverplates//1847 coverplates will have our custom stainless screws.
12) Arrives in patent leather carrying case
I am obviously friends with David and have a bias. I am confident enough in his reputation and product to say read for yourself. The guy worked at Harrison and is friends with some of the top builders on the planet.
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Custom Harmonicas
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bonedog569
742 posts
Dec 11, 2012
5:01 PM
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@David, - the one I got from you , with a bit of set up on your part.
Dealing wtih you , - a pleasure, - just not the best fit for me in a harp.
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bonedog569
743 posts
Dec 11, 2012
10:09 PM
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Just to clarify. David sent me a very nice harp. I have kept it as a backup because I do like it, - but after playin it a while, I just didn't love the feel and fit of it in my mouth. There are other harps I just like more. Millage will vary - that's a given. I'm glad I gave it a try.
David is wonderful to deal with and would have done whatever I asked.
Just giving my .02 on the session steel as it worked for me compared to other harps.
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Last Edited by on Dec 11, 2012 10:10 PM
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1847
407 posts
Dec 11, 2012
10:34 PM
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the silver + is the same as a session steel
it just has the 1847 cover plate
that has been my main harp for the last year
the 1847 takes some getting use to
it's not so much a cover plate per se
but a mouth piece
i find by tilting the harp ever so slightly
it makes all the difference in the world
for tongue blocking nothing can compare
it does take some getting use to
i just finished sanding down all my 1847 silver's
so that will be my main harp in my gig bag
that i play only when going out
the silver plus is now relegated to practice at home
along with with the various assortment that i have around......hopefully my crossover will show up tomorrow
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garry
301 posts
Dec 12, 2012
7:27 PM
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from previous threads it appears that i'm a minority, but i've given up on the session steels. i don't find them as responsive as my bluesmasters, and while they cost twice as much, they didn't last any longer than my other harps.
ymmv.
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felip
6 posts
Dec 13, 2012
6:34 AM
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I got one of these a short time ago. It is a nice harmonica out of the box. I love that you can get it half-valved or with alternative tunings.
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felip
7 posts
Dec 13, 2012
6:34 AM
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I got one of these a short time ago. It is a nice harmonica out of the box. I love that you can get it half-valved or with alternative tunings.
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